What Is Your Name in Spanish: Cómo Te Llamas + Replies

The natural informal way to ask “What is your name?” in Spanish is ¿Cómo te llamas? Use ¿Cómo se llama? with one person you address as usted. Answer with Me llamo Ana (“My name is Ana”) or simply Soy Ana (“I’m Ana”). ¿Cuál es tu nombre? is correct, but often sounds more like a form or information request.

The Real Academia Española entry for llamar includes the pronominal sense llamarse for having a name. The entry for nombre covers the word used to identify a person. Everyday introductions usually prefer the verb frame llamarse, while forms, registrations, and careful clarification may ask directly for a nombre.

Choose the name question for the setting

The choice between tú, usted, and vos depends on community and relationship. Use the Spanish address-system guide before treating ¿cómo te llamas? as the only possible polite question.

Pronounce ¿Cómo te llamas?

¿Cómo te llamas? is approximately KOH-moh teh YAH-mahs in dialects where ll sounds similar to English y. In other regions it can sound closer to zh, sh, or a stronger palatal sound. All are part of real Spanish variation; choose a consistent model instead of combining accents randomly.

Stress cómo on its first syllable and llamas on the first. The written accent distinguishes interrogative cómo. Keep te short and unstressed so the phrase flows as one question.

Answer and confirm the name

Me llamo… is the symmetrical answer to ¿cómo te llamas?, but other replies are natural:

• Me llamo Valentina. — My name is Valentina.
• Soy Diego. — I’m Diego.
• Mi nombre es Nuria. — My name is Nuria.
• Me dicen Nico. — People call me Nico.
• Puedes llamarme Alex. — You can call me Alex.
• Mi apellido es Morales. — My surname is Morales.

If you did not hear the name, ask immediately: Perdón, ¿cómo dijiste que te llamas? or ¿Puedes repetir tu nombre? The conversation-repair guide has reusable ways to request repetition and spelling without pretending you understood.

Build an introduction in three moves

Practise the question inside a complete first meeting:

1. Open with hola, buenos días, or another appropriate greeting.
2. Give your name before requesting theirs: Me llamo Sam. ¿Cómo te llamas?
3. Acknowledge the answer with mucho gusto and one follow-up question.

For example:

Hola, me llamo Sam. ¿Cómo te llamas? — Soy Inés. — Mucho gusto, Inés. ¿De dónde eres?

Hi, my name is Sam. What’s your name? — I’m Inés. — Nice to meet you, Inés. Where are you from?

Giving your own name first makes the request feel reciprocal. Continue with how are you in Spanish or the guide to nice to meet you in Spanish.

Dialogues for social and formal introductions

At a class

Hola, soy Maya. ¿Cómo te llamas? — Me llamo Tomás.

Hi, I’m Maya. What’s your name? — My name is Tomás.

At a reception desk

Buenos días. ¿Cuál es su nombre? — Daniela Ruiz.

Good morning. What is your name? — Daniela Ruiz.

Confirming spelling

¿Cómo se escribe tu apellido? — R-O-J-A-S.

How do you spell your surname? — R-O-J-A-S.

Asking for a preferred name

¿Cómo prefieres que te llame? — Puedes llamarme Dani.

What do you prefer me to call you? — You can call me Dani.

The last question is useful when a legal name, nickname, and everyday name are not the same. Follow the person’s stated preference rather than guessing.

Common mistakes and social limits

Translating “what” as qué in the everyday question. ¿Qué es tu nombre? is not the normal introduction. Use ¿cómo te llamas? or ¿cuál es tu nombre?

Mixing pronouns and verbs. Te llamas aligns with tú; se llama aligns with usted. The response stays me llamo because the speaker refers to themselves.

Assuming a full legal name is always appropriate. A social introduction may need only the name someone uses. An official process may require given names and surnames exactly as shown on documents.

Pressing for personal information. Names, spelling, titles, and identity can be sensitive. A phrase being grammatically correct does not make the question appropriate in every context. Regional and institutional scripts need local review.

The introduction pattern to memorise

Say Me llamo [name]. ¿Cómo te llamas? for an informal exchange. Replace te llamas with se llama when you choose usted. Repeat the answer once—Mucho gusto, Inés—both to show attention and to remember it.

Disclosure: LinguaLive publishes commercial language-learning software and has an interest in Spanish phrase traffic. This guide is not proof that an introduction template, speaking activity, or product improves learning.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most natural way to ask someone’s name in Spanish?

Use ¿Cómo te llamas? with one familiar person or ¿Cómo se llama? with one usted addressee.

How do I answer cómo te llamas?

Say Me llamo… plus your name. Soy… and Mi nombre es… are also correct.

Is cuál es tu nombre correct?

Yes. It asks directly for someone’s name and is especially natural in a form, registration, or information-checking context.

How do I ask someone to repeat their name?

Say ¿Puedes repetir tu nombre? with tú or ¿Puede repetir su nombre? with usted.

Sources and editorial review

This guide was checked against its primary official or academic reference on 27 August 2026. Language usage can vary by region, relationship, and situation. Review the primary source.